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A damaged drain lid on a narrow stretch of Byramjee Jeejeebhoy Road near actor Shah Rukh Khan’s residence, Mannat, at Bandstand in Bandra West has become a recurring hazard for motorists and pedestrians, with locals claiming the concrete cover breaks multiple times a week under the weight of passing vehicles.

Vehicles squeeze through the narrowed single-lane stretch on Bandstand due to ongoing sewage line work

The problem spot lies on a constricted patch of road just a few steps away from Mannat, where sewage line work has been underway for nearly three months. The ongoing construction has reduced the road to a single usable lane, forcing vehicles to repeatedly drive over the drain cover.

The damaged drain lid on Byramjee Jeejeebhoy Road, which locals say repeatedly cracks under passing vehicles. Pics/Shadab Khan

Residents and workers in the area said civic staff have been repeatedly repairing or replacing the lid, only for it to crack again within days. When mid-day visited the spot on Monday afternoon, several vehicles were seen slowing down while crossing the uneven patch.

What exactly is happening at the spot?

Ongoing sewage line work on the stretch in Bandstand, Bandra West, where commuters say the drain lid has repeatedly collapsed

>> Sewage line work has narrowed the road
>> Only one vehicle can pass at a time
>> Vehicles are forced to drive directly over the drain lid
>> The concrete cover keeps cracking under pressure
>> Debris and uneven patches are posing 
risks to riders and pedestrians

Spot check

Motorists navigate the constricted stretch that has become a bottleneck during the ongoing civic work

Location
Near Mannat, Bandstand, Bandra West

Problem
Repeatedly damaged drain lid on a narrow road stretch

Cause
Heavy vehicle movement over weakened concrete cover during sewage line work

Duration
Nearly three months

Risk factors

>> Narrow single-lane movement
>> Sudden bump for motorists
>> Debris near the footpath
>> Risk of skidding or imbalance for two-wheelers

Civic response awaited

mid-day contacted the H West ward of the BMC to ask why the drain cover was not being reinforced with stronger material despite repeated damage. No response was received before press time.

Locals speak

C Gitanjali, writing to mid-day, said…
‘This sliver of road is on a one-way, and there has been construction happening there for months, making half the road unusable. So, in a crunch, avoiding this treacherous spot could easily lead to an accident, especially if you are speeding even mildly’

A Rapido rider

‘Since I drive almost daily on this road, now I know that I need to be to the left before entering the narrow patch to avoid the debris. Those who don’t come often might not know to do that. It can be simply avoided by not speeding on the road, which is tempting to many riders’

A biker, requesting anonymity, said…

‘Usually, we slow down well before the bump to not feel the sudden impact of problematic road patches, but after weeks when I had visited this place earlier on Sunday, I didn’t see it fast enough, leading to me having to steady my vehicle to prevent myself from falling. I was driving at the edge only because there was another bike rider right beside me, and I couldn’t go left onto the road’

Employees, at a cafe opposite the damaged patch
‘The patch has been so for weeks now, we have seen BMC officials come and replace the lid multiple times a week because it keeps breaking. Luckily, those who walk into the cafe are being careful and avoiding that patch while getting onto the footpath, otherwise they could trip over the debris’